Image capturing apparatus and image capturing apparatus control method

ABSTRACT

An image capturing apparatus has either one of a first display mode for continuously displaying a captured image on an image display unit and a second display mode for not displaying the captured image on the image display unit and displays an image according to the detection result on the image display unit when the second display mode is set.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/707,475, filed Dec. 6, 2012, entitled IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS ANDIMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/797,424, filed Jun. 9, 2010,entitled IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS CONTROLMETHOD, the content of which each application is expressly incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety. Further, the present applicationclaims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No.2009-142720, filed Jun. 15, 2009, which is also hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus having adisplay mode for not displaying a captured image on an image displayunit during a standby state before a photograph is taken.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional image capturing apparatus such as a digital camera iscapable of continuously displaying an image signal from an image sensoron a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like during a standby statebefore a photograph is taken. Therefore, a user performs framing whileconfirming a field angle displayed on the LCD and can press a shutterbutton at a desired field angle and a timing.

Meanwhile, when the user presses the shutter button, a photographingprocessing is performed after an automatic focus (AF) processing, anautomatic exposure (AE) processing, an automatic white balance (AWB)processing, an electronic flash pre-emission (EF) processing, and thelike. Therefore, there is a time lag from the timing at which the useractually desires to take a photograph. Accordingly, there may beconsidered a method for shortening a time required for the AF processingwhich is performed after the shutter button is pressed down, wherein acertain degree of focusing is performed by continuously performing theAF processing during the standby state before photographing.

In the case of continuously performing the AF processing in the standbystate before photographing, it is necessary to take a countermeasureagainst significant disturbance of a captured image displayed on theLCD. An image capturing apparatus discussed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2003-32521 does not perform update of an LDCdisplay when a focus evaluation value is low to prevent the defocusedimage from being viewed by a user. Also, as another countermeasure,there has been known a method wherein an image capturing apparatusrestricts an operation speed and a range of a focus lens. In the case ofrestricting the operation speed and the range of the focus lens, thetime required for performing the AF processing which is performed afterthe shutter button is pressed down is not usually shortened since it isdifficult to continuously maintain a perfect focus.

Therefore, a camera is known which has a function of shortening the timerequired for the AF processing after the shutter button is pressed down.In this camera, the LCD display is not performed during the standbystate before photographing and focusing is continuously maintainedwithout restricting the operation speed and the range of the focus lens.This function is referred to as “quick photographing”, and a mode forperforming the quick photographing is referred to as “quickphotographing mode”. In the case of taking a photograph by the quickphotographing mode, a user mainly uses an optical view finder forperforming framing since an image signal from the image sensor is notdisplayed on the LCD.

As described above, the user performs the framing by mainly using theoptical view finder in the quick photographing mode. Therefore, there isa problem that the user cannot confirm information such as faceinformation detected by the camera and a focus position, that hasconventionally been obtained from a captured image displayed on the LCD.

In view of the above-described problems, the present invention enables auser to recognize an image capture state of an object even if a mode ofcontinuously displaying an image on an image display unit is notselected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, an image capturingapparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to capture animage of an object; a display control unit configured to display theimage captured by the image capturing unit on an image display unit; adetection unit configured to detect a specific object from the imagecaptured by the image capturing unit; and a mode setting unit configuredto set either one of a first display mode for continuously displayingthe captured image on the image display unit by the display control unitand a second display mode for not displaying the captured image on theimage display unit, wherein the display control unit displays an imageaccording to the detection result obtained by the detection unit on theimage display unit in a case where the second mode is set by the modesetting unit.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features,and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an image capturingapparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams illustrating one example ofphotographing operation in a quick photographing mode.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating one example ofphotographing operation in the quick photographing mode.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a display control processing of thefirst exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a displayimage of the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a displayimage of the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of a displayimage of the first exemplary embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a camera which is animage capturing apparatus of a first exemplary embodiment. The camera100 includes an image capturing lens 10 including a focus lens, ashutter 12 provided with an aperture function, an image sensor 14 forconverting an optical image into an electric signal, an analog/digital(A/D) convertor 16 for converting an analog signal output from the imagesensor 14 into a digital signal, and a timing generation circuit 18. Thetiming generation circuit 18 is controlled by a memory control circuit22 and a system control circuit 50 and supplies a clock signal and acontrol signal to the image sensor 14, the A/D convertor 16, and adigital/analog (D/A) convertor 26.

The camera 100 includes an image processing circuit 20, the memorycontrol circuit 22, an image display memory 24, the D/A convertor 26, anexternal output connector 27, an image display unit 28, and the systemcontrol circuit 50.

The image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined imageinterpolation and color conversion on data from the A/D convertor 16 ordata from the memory control circuit 22. Also, the image processingcircuit 20 performs predetermined calculation using captured image data.Based on a result of the calculation, the system control circuit 50performs AF processing of a through-the-lens (TTL) method, AEprocessing, and EF processing for performing control on an exposurecontrol unit 40 and a ranging control unit 42. Further, the imageprocessing circuit 20 performs predetermined calculation using capturedimage data to perform an AWB processing of the TTL method based on aresult of the calculation.

The memory control circuit 22 controls the A/D convertor 16, the timinggeneration circuit 18, the image processing circuit 20, the imagedisplay memory 24, the D/A convertor 26, a memory 30, and acompression/decompression circuit 32. Data converted by the A/Dconvertor 16 are written into the image display memory 24 or the memory30 directly or via the image processing circuit 20 and the memorycontrol circuit 22.

The external output connector 27 outputs data converted by the D/Aconvertor 26 to an external monitor. When a connector is inserted intothe external output connector 27, the system control circuit 50recognizes an external output state by an external output connectorconnection detection unit 108 described below in this specification.

The image display unit 28 is, for example, a TFT LCD. Image data to bedisplayed, which have been written into the image display memory 24, aredisplayed by the image display unit 28 via the D/A convertor 26. It ispossible to realize an electronic finder function by using the imagedisplay unit 28 for continuously displaying the captured image data.Also, the image display unit 28 is capable of arbitrarily switchingbetween on and off of the display according to an instruction from thesystem control circuit 50, and it is possible to largely reduce electricconsumption of the camera 100 when the display is switched off. Further,the image display unit 28 is coupled to a main body of the camera 100 bya rotatable hinge part, thereby enabling a user to use the electronicfinder function, a reproduction display function, and various displayfunctions by freely setting a direction and an angle.

Also, it is possible to stash the image display unit 28 with a displaypart of the image display unit 28 facing to the camera 100, and, in thiscase, an image display unit open/close detection unit 106 describedbelow stops a display operation of the image display unit 28 bydetecting the stash state with the system control circuit 50. The systemcontrol circuit 50 controls the entire camera 100.

Further, the cameral 100 includes the memory 30, thecompression/decompression circuit 32, the exposure control unit 40, theranging control unit 42, a zooming control unit 44, a barrier controlunit 46, a flash 48, a memory 52, and a display unit 54.

The memory 30 stores data such as a captured still image and a movingimage. The memory 30 is provided with a storage capacity that issufficient for storing data of a predetermined number of still imagesand a predetermined time of moving image and enables high speed andlarge amount image writing in the case of serial image capturing forcapturing a plurality of still images and panoramic image capturing.Also, the memory 30 may be used as a work area of the system controlcircuit 50 or a write buffer of a recording medium 200.

The compression/decompression circuit 32 performscompression/decompression of image data by way of adaptive discretecosine transform (ADCT) and the like. The compression/decompressioncircuit 32 reads image data stored in the memory 30 to performcompression processing or a decompression processing and writes the dataafter the processing into the memory 30. The exposure control unit 40controls the shutter 12 that is provided with the aperture function.Also, the exposure control unit 40 achieves a flash dimmer function incooperation with the flash 48. The ranging control unit 42 controlsfocusing of the image capturing lens 10. The zooming control unit 44controls zooming of the image capturing lens 10. The barrier controlunit 46 controls operations of a protection unit 102 which serves as abarrier.

The exposure control unit 40 and the ranging control unit 42 arecontrolled by employing the TTL method, and the system control circuit50 performs control on the exposure control unit 40 and the rangingcontrol unit 42 based on a result of calculation of captured image dataperformed by the image processing circuit 20. The flash 48 has an AFfill light projecting function and the flash light dimmer function.

The memory 52 stores a constant, a variable, a program, and the like foran operation of the system control circuit 50.

The display unit 54 is a liquid crystal display device that displays anoperation state, a message, and the like by using a character, an image,a voice, and the like according to execution of a program in the systemcontrol circuit 50. The display unit 54 is provided alone or a pluralityof the display units 54 is provided at a position that is easilyrecognized and in the vicinity of an operation unit of the camera 100.The display unit 54 is formed of, for example, a combination of an LCD,a light-emitting diode (LED), a sound element.

Also, a part of the functions of the display unit 54 is provided insidethe optical finder 104. Among the display contents of the display unit54, those displayed on the LCD or the like are a single shot/serialphotographing display, a self timer display, a compression ratiodisplay, a recording pixel number display, a display of number ofrecorded photographs, a display of number of photographs that can betaken, a shutter speed display, an aperture value display, and anexposure correction display. Other examples of the display contentsinclude a flash display, a red eye reduction display, a macrophotography display, a buzzer setting display, a clock battery leveldisplay, an error display, an information display using a plurality ofdigits, a display of attachment/removal state of a recording medium 200,a communication I/F operation display, a date and time display, and thelike. Also, among the contents of the display unit 54, those displayedin the optical finder 104 include a focus display, a camera-shakewarning display, a flash charge display, a shutter speed display, anaperture value display, an exposure correction display, and the like.

The camera 100 includes a nonvolatile memory 56, a mode dial switch 60,shutter switches 62 and 64, the operation unit 70, a power control unit80, connectors 82 and 84, a power unit 86, an interface 90, a connector92, and a recording medium attachment/removal detection unit 98.

The nonvolatile memory 56 is a memory that is capable of electricallyerasing and recording, such as an electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM). The mode dial switch 60, the shutter switch(SW1) 62, the shutter switch (SW2) 64, and the operation unit 70 form anoperation unit for a user to input various operation instructions intothe system control circuit 50. The operation unit is formed of one of ora combination of two or more of a switch, a dial, a touch panel,pointing by line-of-sight detection, a voice recognition device, and thelike.

Hereinafter, the operation unit will specifically be described.

The mode dial switch 60 is capable of switching and setting functionmodes such as power-off, an automatic photographing mode, imagecapturing modes (including live view photographing mode, quickphotographing mode, moving image capturing mode), a replay mode, a multiscreen replay/erase mode, and a PC connection mode. The live viewphotographing mode of the image capturing modes realizes theabove-mentioned electronic finder function for continuously displayingcaptured image data on the image display unit 28 (a captured imagedisplay mode, a first display mode). A region of the captured image datato be displayed is a region that can be read from the image sensor 14,which corresponds to a region in FIG. 2B or FIG. 3B described below, forexample.

The shutter switch (SW1) 62 is turned on during operation on the shutterbutton to give instructions for starting operations such as the AFprocessing, the AE processing, the AWB processing, and the EFprocessing.

The shutter switch (SW2) 64 is turned on when the operation on theshutter button is completed to give instructions for staring operationsof a series of photographing processing steps. The photographingprocessing means exposure processing for writing the signal read fromthe image sensor 14 as the image data, into the memory 30 via the A/Dconvertor 16 and the memory control circuit 22, and developmentprocessing utilizing the calculations by the image processing circuit 20and the memory control circuit 22. Further, recording processing forreading the image data from the memory 30, performing the compression bythe compression/decompression circuit 32, and writing the image datainto the recording medium 200 are included in the photographingprocessing. Also, the shutter switch (SW2) 64 instructs start/stop inthe case of the moving image capturing.

The operation unit 70 is formed of various buttons, a touch panel, andthe like and includes a menu button, a set button, a macro button, amulti-screen reproduction and page-advance button, a flash settingbutton, and a single photographing/serial photographing/self timerswitching button. Examples of other buttons include a menu change +(plus) button, a menu change − (minus) button, a replayed image change +(plus) button, a replayed image change − (minus) button, an imagingquality selection button, an exposure correction button, and a date/timesetting button.

The power control unit 80 includes a battery detection circuit, a DC-CDconvertor, and a switching circuit for switching blocks to be energized.The power control unit 80 performs detection of absence/presence of abattery, a type of battery, and a battery level and controls the DC-CDconvertor based on the detection results and instructions from thesystem control circuit 50, thereby supplying a required voltage to eachof the units including the recording medium for a required time period.

The power unit 86 is a primary battery such as an alkali battery and alithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMHbattery, a Li battery, and an AC adaptor. The interface 90 controlsconnection with the recording medium 200 such as a memory card and ahard disk. The connector 92 performs connection with the recordingmedium 200. The recording medium attachment/removal detection unit 98detects whether the recording medium 200 is attached to the connector92.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a system of the interface and theconnector for attaching the recording medium 200 is single. However, thenumber of systems of the interface and the connector for attaching therecording medium 200 may be one or more. Also, an interface and aconnector of different standards may be adopted in combination.

Examples of the interface and the connector include a Personal ComputerMemory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, and a compact flash(CF; registered trade name) that are in conformity with the standard. Insuch a case, it is possible to connect various communication cards suchas a LAN card, a modem card, a USB card, an IEEE1394 card, a P1284 card,a small computer system interface (SCISI) card, and a communication cardsuch as personal handy phone system (PHS). Thus, it is possible tomutually transfer image data and controlled information belonging to theimage data with other computers and peripheral devices such as aprinter.

The camera 100 includes the protection unit 102, the optical finder 104,the image display unit open/close detection unit 106, the externaloutput connector connection detection unit 108, a communication unit110, a connector 112, a microphone 114, an A/D convertor 116, a speaker118, and a D/A convertor 120. The protection unit 102 covers the imagecapturing unit including the image capturing lens 10 of the camera 100to prevent contamination and breakage of the image capturing unit andthus serves as a barrier. The optical finder 104 enables a user toperform image capturing without using the electronic finder function ofthe image display unit 28. Also, in the optical finder 104, a part ofthe functions of the display unit 54, such as a focus display, acamera-shake warning display, a flash charge display, a shutter speeddisplay, an aperture value display, and an exposure correction displayare disposed.

The image display unit open/close detection unit 106 detects whether theimage display unit 28 is in the stash state with the display surface ofthe image display unit 28 facing to the camera 100. When the stash stateof the image display unit 28 is detected, the display operation of theimage display unit 28 is stopped to reduce power consumption.

The external output connector connection detection unit 108 detectswhether an external monitor is connected to the external outputconnector 27. If the connection state is detected, it is possible to usethe external monitor as the display device in place of the image displayunit 28. The communication unit 110 has various communication functionssuch as communication by RS232C, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE1394,P1284, SCSI, a modem, a LAN, and wireless communitarian. The connector112 connects the camera 100 to another device using the communicationunit 110. In the case of the wireless communication, the connector 112is an antenna.

The microphone 114 obtains voice data. The A/D convertor 116 performsA/D conversion on the voice data obtained by the microphone 114 so thatthe system control circuit 50 can obtain the data. The speaker 118performs voice data reproduction. The D/A convertor 120 performs D/Aconversion on the digital voice data output from the system controlcircuit 50 so that the voice data are reproduced by the speaker 118.

The recording medium 200 is inserted into the camera 100. The recordingmedium 200 is a memory card, a hard disk, or the like. The recordingmedium 200 is provided with a recording unit 202 formed of asemiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like, an interface 204with the camera 100, and a connector 206 performing connection with thecamera 100. When the recording medium 200 is a PC-Card or a CF card ofthe PCMCIA standard, an information storage circuit storing itsperformance is sometimes incorporated therein.

Hereinafter, an operation processing when the camera 100 is set to thequick photographing mode will be described.

When a user switches to the quick photographing mode by operating themode dial switch 60, the system control circuit 50 sets the camera tothe quick photographing mode as the image capturing mode. Thisprocessing corresponds to one example of processing by the mode settingunit. Also, the system control circuit 50 stops display of capturedimage data on the image display unit 28. In other words, the quickphotographing mode is a mode (a captured image non-display mode, asecond display mode) in which the captured image is not displayed on theimage display unit 28. Further, the system control circuit 50 performsthe AF processing that does not restrict an operation speed and a rangeof the focus lens. With such operations, it is possible to continuouslymaintain focusing during a standby state before a photograph is taken,thereby shortening a time lag from the pressing down of the shutterbutton by the user to the photographing processing.

However, in the conventional quick photographing mode, the user cannotconfirm the information such as face information and a focus positiondetected by the system control circuit 50, which is obtained from thecaptured image displayed on the image display unit 28. Hereinafter, withreference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the quick photographing mode in which it isimpossible to confirm the face information, the focus position, and thelike will be described.

Illustrated in FIG. 2A is the image display unit 28 of the camera 100.The shutter speed, the aperture value, and the like set in the camera100 are displayed on the image display unit 28, and the captured imagedata are not displayed. It is assumed that the user presses the shutterbutton after confirming three persons of a person A, a person B, and aperson C in a frame by using the optical finder 104. In this case, it isassumed that the user considers a face of the person A as a face topreferentially focus on for taking a photograph.

Illustrated in FIG. 2B is image data indicating the faces of the personsactually detected by the system control circuit 50 when the photographis taken. In FIG. 2B, a region of the face (main face) on which thepreferential focusing is performed is indicated by a solid line, whilethe face on which the preferential focusing is not performed isindicated by a broken line.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the system control circuit 50 detects theface that is not the face which the user desires to preferentiallyphotograph and, further, does not detect the face of the person C. Inother words, the user has to take the photograph without confirming theresult of the detection by the system control circuit 50 even when theface that the system control circuit 50 focuses on is not the faceintended by the user.

Also, illustrated in FIG. 3A is the image display unit 28 of the camera100, in which captured image data are not displayed. It is assumed thatthe user presses the shutter button after confirming three targetobjects of an object A, an object B, and an object C in a frame by usingthe optical finder 104. In this case, it is assumed that the userconsiders the object A as the object to preferentially focus on fortaking a photograph.

Illustrated in FIG. 3B is image data indicating the object on which thesystem control circuit 50 actually focuses on when the photograph istaken, in which the focused object is indicated by a solid line. Asillustrated in FIG. 3B, the system control circuit 50 focuses on theobject that is not the object which the user desires to preferentiallyphotograph. In other words, the user has to take the photograph evenwhen the position that the system control circuit 50 focuses on is notthe position intended by the user, without confirming such position.

Hereinafter, operation processing of the camera 100 according to thepresent exemplary embodiment that enables a user to take a photographafter the user confirms face information detected by the camera, a focusposition, and the like will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a display control processing in thequick photographing mode. The processing by the flowchart is realizedwhen the system control circuit 50 executes a program stored in thememory 52, for example. The flowchart is started after the systemcontrol circuit 50 sets the camera to the quick photographing mode asthe image capturing mode according to the operation on the mode dialswitch 60 by the user.

In step S101, the system control circuit 50 determines whether a currentcamera is in a mode for detecting a face. The camera mode is set by thesystem control circuit 50 according to an operation by the user via theoperation unit 70. When the current camera is in the mode for detectinga face, the processing proceeds to step S102.

In step S102, the system control circuit 50 performs detection of a face(face detection) as a specific object. The face detection meansdetection of face information such as a position and a size of a face, anumber of faces, and a preference order of the faces from a capturedimage. In the present exemplary embodiment, the captured image is notdisplayed on the image display unit 28, but the image is continuouslyobtained in the same manner as in the ordinary standby state beforephotographing. The system control circuit 50 uses the captured image toperform real time face detection.

In step S103, the system control circuit 50 clips face images from thecaptured image and based on the face information obtained by the facedetection, displays the face images at predetermined positions of theimage display unit 28 as illustrated in FIG. 5. It is assumed that theuser performs framing by using the optical finder 104 so that threepersons of a person A, a person B, and a person C are included asillustrated in FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the system controlcircuit 50 displays the clipped face images 501A, 501B, and 501C in theface display region 500 of the image display unit 28. Here, the systemcontrol circuit 50 decides a preference order of the faces. Thisprocessing corresponds to one example of processing performed by a faceorder decision unit. Further, the system control circuit 50 displays thefaces so that the user recognizes the preference order of the faces byarranging the face images in the decided order.

Also, the system control circuit 50 performs a resizing processing ofthe face images in the captured image so that the face images fit in apredetermined size of the face display region 500. Here, photographinginformation such as a shutter speed and an aperture value is displayedon a region other than that of the face images in the image display unit28. When the system control circuit 50 decides the preference order offaces, the decision is made in such a manner that the face closest tothe center of the captured image is given the highest preference or thatthe face in best conformity with the face information registered in thenonvolatile memory 56 or the like is given the highest preference.

In step S104, the system control circuit 50 determines whether aphotographing operation has been performed by the user, i.e. whether theshutter button (SW2) 64 has been pressed down. If the photographingoperation has been performed, the processing proceeds to step S105. Instep S105, the system control circuit 50 performs photographingprocessing to return to step S103. Meanwhile, if it is determined thatthe photographing operation has not been performed, the processingproceeds to step S106.

In step S106, the system control circuit 50 determines whether the faceinformation such as the number of faces and the preference order offaces is changed in the information obtained by the face detection dueto detection of a new face or disappearance of the detected face. Ifthere is the change, the processing proceeds to step S107. In step S107,the system control circuit 50 clips face images from a captured imagebased on newly obtained face information and displays the face imagesagain at the predetermined positions in the image display unit 28, andthe processing returns to step S104. Meanwhile, if there has not beenany change in the face information in step S106, the processing proceedsto step S108.

In step S108, the system control circuit 50 determines whether the userhas performed an operation of terminating the quick photographing modebyway of the mode dial switch 60. If the operation of terminating thequick photographing mode has been performed, the quick photographingmode is brought to an end. If the operation for terminating the quickphotographing mode has not been performed, the processing returns tostep S104.

Meanwhile, if the current camera is not in the mode for detecting a facein step S101, the processing proceeds to step S109.

In step S109, the system control circuit 50 performs the AF processing.In the present exemplary embodiment, the captured image is not displayedon the image display unit 28, but the image is continuously obtained inthe same manner as in the ordinary standby state before photographing.The system control circuit 50 uses the captured image to perform thereal time AF processing without restricting an operation speed and arange of the focus lens.

As a result of the AF processing, information of a region (AF frame) onwhich focusing is performed is detected. The system control circuit 50clips an image inside the AF frame from the captured image based on thedetected information and displays the AF frame image at a predeterminedposition as illustrated in FIG. 6. As illustrated in FIG. 6, it isassumed that the user performs framing by using the optical finder 104so that three objects of an object A, an object B, and an object C areincluded as illustrated in FIG. 6. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the systemcontrol circuit 50 displays the clipped image 601A in a focus positiondisplay region 600. Here, the system control circuit 50 displays inaddition an AF frame 603 that indicates a part of the captured image towhich the displayed AF frame image corresponds, in a correspondingdisplay region 602 of the image display unit 28. Also, the systemcontrol circuit 50 displays the AF frame image after performing resizingprocessing on the AF frame image so that the AF frame image fits in apredetermined size of the focus position display region 600. Imagecapture information such as a shutter speed and an aperture value isdisplayed in a region other than that of the AF frame image in the imagedisplay unit 28.

In step S110, the system control circuit 50 determines whether aphotographing operation has been performed by the user, i.e. whether theshutter button (SW2) 64 has been pressed down. If the photographingoperation has been performed, the processing proceeds to step S111. Instep S111, the system control circuit 50 performs photographingprocessing and returns to step S109. Meanwhile, if it is determined thatthe photographing operation has not been performed, the processingproceeds to step S112.

In step S112, the system control circuit 50 determines whether there hasbeen a change in the obtained AF frame information, such as a changefrom non-focus to in-focus in the AF frame due to the AF processing, anda change in AF frame position. If there has been the change, theprocessing proceeds to step S113. In step S113, the system controlcircuit 50 clips an AF frame image from a captured image based on newlyobtained AF frame information and displays the AF frame image again atthe predetermined position in the image display unit 28, then theprocessing returns to step S110. Meanwhile, if there has not been anychange in the AF frame information, the processing proceeds to stepS114.

In step S114, the system control circuit 50 determines whether the userhas performed an operation of terminating the quick photographing modebyway of the mode dial switch 60. If the operation of terminating thequick photographing mode has been performed, the quick photographingmode is brought to an end. If the operation for terminating the quickphotographing mode has not been performed, the processing returns tostep S110.

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, sincethe face information detected by the camera and the focus position aredisplayed on the image display unit, it is possible for the user to takea photograph after confirming the information even in the quickphotographing mode.

The embodiment for displaying the face images or the AF frame image atthe predetermined positions in the image display unit has been describedas the first exemplary embodiment. In a second exemplary embodiment,display is performed according to positions of faces or a position of anAF frame in a captured image. The structure of the camera 100 and otherprocessing will not be repeated since they are the same as those of thefirst exemplary embodiment.

One display example in the image display unit 28 of the camera accordingto the present exemplary embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 7. In FIG. 7, it is assumed that a user performs framing by usingthe optical finder 104 in the same manner as in FIG. 5 so that threepersons of a person A, a person B, and a person C are included.

The system control circuit 50 displays on the image display unit 28 faceimages 701A, 701B, and 701C of the persons A to C, corresponding topositions of the faces in a captured image. Here, the system controlcircuit 50 displays the face image (main face) of the person on whichthe focusing is preferentially performed, with the image enclosed by aframe of a color different from those of the rest of faces or by a solidline frame as illustrated in FIG. 7 so that the user can distinguish themain face. In the display example illustrated in FIG. 7, the face imagesare displayed above image capture information such as a shutter speedand an aperture value. Likewise, in the case of an AF frame, the systemcontrol circuit 50 displays on the image display unit 28 an AF frameimage corresponding to a position of the AF frame in the captured image.

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, sincethe display on the image display unit is performed corresponding to thepositions of the faces or the position of the AF frame in the capturedimage, the user can more intuitively grasp the positions of the faces orthe position of the AF frame. Since the image capture information suchas the shutter speed and the aperture value is hidden due to thedisplayed face images or the AF frame image in some cases, the displayof image capture information may be avoided.

According to the first and the second exemplary embodiments, the timingfor re-displaying the face images or the AF frame image at thepredetermined positions in the image display unit 28 is limited to thecase where there has been any change in face information or AF frameinformation. Therefore, since it is possible to perform the display bythe image display unit 28 at a timing that is later than an ordinaryframe rate, it is possible to reduce a load on the system controlcircuit 50. Also, as to the face image or the AF frame image to bedisplayed, since only the normally detected face image or the image inthe normal focus region is updated based on the result of the facedetection or the AF processing, there is the advantage that it ispossible for the user to easily confirm information of the face image orthe AF frame image.

Other Embodiments

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of asystem or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out andexecutes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functionsof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps ofwhich are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory deviceto perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For thispurpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via anetwork or from a recording medium of various types serving as thememory device (e.g., computer-readable medium).

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image display apparatus comprising: adetection unit configured to detect a specific object from an imagecaptured by an image capturing unit; a control unit configured togenerate a display image by clipping a partial image including thespecific object detected by the detection unit from the image capturedby the image capturing unit; and a display unit configured to displaythe display image along with image capturing information of the imagecapturing unit, wherein, in a case where the detection unit detects aplurality of specific objects, the control unit generates a plurality ofdisplay images each corresponding to a different one of the plurality ofspecific objects and then determines a priority order for the pluralityof display images, and wherein the display unit displays each of theplurality of display images in a position according to the priorityorder determined by the control unit.
 2. The image display apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the priorityorder for the plurality of display images based on respective positionsof the plurality of specific objects on the image captured by the imagecapturing unit.
 3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the control unit resizes the display image to a predeterminedsize.
 4. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecontrol unit updates the display image in a case where the priorityorder is changed.
 5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the control unit updates the plurality of display images in atleast one of cases where the detection unit detects another specificobject, where the detection unit becomes unable to detect the specificobject already detected by the detection unit, and where a number ofspecific objects detected by the detection unit is changed.
 6. An imagedisplay apparatus comprising: a detection unit configured to detect aspecific object from an image captured by an image capturing unit; acontrol unit configured to generate a display image by clipping apartial image including the specific object detected by the detectionunit from the image captured by the image capturing unit; and a displayunit configured to display the display image along with image capturinginformation of the image capturing unit, wherein the control unitresizes the display image to a predetermined size.
 7. The image displayapparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit updates theplurality of display images in at least one of cases where the detectionunit detects another specific object, where the detection unit becomesunable to detect the specific object already detected by the detectionunit, and where a number of specific objects detected by the detectionunit is changed.
 8. An image display apparatus comprising: a detectionunit configured to detect a specific object from an image captured by animage capturing unit; a control unit configured to generate a displayimage by clipping a partial image including the specific object detectedby the detection unit from the image captured by the image capturingunit; and a display unit configured to display the display image alongwith image capturing information of the image capturing unit, whereinthe control unit updates the plurality of display images in at least oneof cases where the detection unit detects another specific object, wherethe detection unit becomes unable to detect the specific object alreadydetected by the detection unit, and where a number of specific objectsdetected by the detection unit is changed.
 9. An image display apparatuscomprising: a detection unit configured to detect a specific object froman image captured by an image capturing unit; a control unit configuredto generate a display image by clipping a partial image including thespecific object detected by the detection unit from the image capturedby the image capturing unit; and a display unit configured to displaythe display image along with image capturing information of the imagecapturing unit, wherein the display unit displays the display image in aposition on a display, which corresponds to a position of the specificobject on the image captured by the imaged capturing unit.
 10. The imagedisplay apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit resizesthe display image to a predetermined size.
 11. An image displayapparatus comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain informationof a position of a region focused on by an image capturing unit; acontrol unit configured to generate a display image by clipping apartial image based on the information of the position from an imagecaptured by the image capturing unit; and a display unit configured todisplay the display image along with image capturing information of theimage capturing unit.
 12. The image display apparatus according to claim11, wherein the display unit displays, along with the display image,information indicating the position of the region focused on by theimage capturing unit on the image captured by the image capturing unit.13. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein thecontrol unit resizes the display image to a predetermined size.
 14. Theimage display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unitupdates the display image in a case where the information of theposition of the region focused on by the image capturing unit ischanged.
 15. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, whereinthe display unit displays the display image in a position on a display,which corresponds the position of the region focused on by the imagecapturing unit.